New Delhi, August 21
A leading Pakistani English newspaper today said the Pakistani leadership should emulate Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in humility and nobility in human relations.
“Pakistan Observer” complimented Dr Manmohan Singh for his humility which was reflected in a recent incident wherein he had forgotten to send transport to his younger brother who came by train from Ludhiana and eventually turned up at the Prime Minister’s house in an auto-rickshaw.
The newspaper, in its editorial published today entitled “Singh has some plus points too”, has also blown hot in the same breath and described him as “devoid of decision-making prowess”. It has described Dr Singh’s personality as “lacklustre” and accused him of avoiding the resolution of the Kashmir issue.
The newspaper wrote, “It is reported that Mr Manmohan Singh had forgotten to send transport to fetch his brother and he reached the gates of the Prime Minister’s house by an auto rickshaw. The security personnel refused to allow him to go inside. On his insistence, Mr Manmohan Singh was contacted and informed about the man, who pretended to be his brother. He virtually ran to the gates of the Prime Minister’s house barefoot to receive his brother to the bewilderment of his personal and security staff,” the newspaper said summing up the incident.
Nobody from the Prime Minister’s Office here was able to say when the incident took place.
The Pakistani newspaper used the episode to lambast the Pakistani
leadership.
“It’s certainly a good example of modesty for our leaders to emulate. It is really unfortunate that our leadership invariably loses humility and turns arrogant once in the saddle of power in utter disregard to Islamic values and virtues of humility and humbleness. Our leaders ought to keep in mind that arrogance and self-weaning pride is most detestable to Almighty Allah.”
However, the Pakistani newspaper’s editorial has done some clever balancing act. It said that Dr Manmohan Singh was perceived as an articulate economist and politician and was expected to steer the South Asian region out of its quagmire of tension, confrontation and conflict due to the outstanding issues between Islamabad and New Delhi.
“It was hoped that the Kashmir issue that is the basis of this quagmire will be addressed to pave the way for socio-economic well being of the
impoverished people of India and Pakistan. His conduct has, however, been a big disappointment, since he too opted to tread the same path as his
predecessor politicians had done to avoid resolution of the Kashmir dispute that has bedevilled relations between the two
countries and kept the South Asian region on tenterhooks for about six decades. He has proven
to be a lackluster personality and is devoid of decision making prowess.”
